My overactive ADHD brain
My ADHD brain constantly needs to be engaged. Hyperactive traits have often been compared to ADHDers appearing to be ‘ driven by a motor’ and I agree! Impulsivity, Distractibility, Hyperfocus and the ‘buzz’ in general, keeps my brain working overtime. I really struggle to create downtime and to chill out in general.
Balance
Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash
I find it really hard to switch off. I always find something that I need to do or think about or even worry about. Balance, I completely lack balance.
“The carousel never stops turning, you can’t get off” - Grey’s Anatomy
You ever heard of the saying ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’? Yeah, it never means much to me when people say it. I have the habit of feeling like I need to be super productive and complete a bunch of tasks all in one day. My Neurotypical friends, on the other hand, manage to schedule in downtime and are able to complete tasks over a couple of days.
On the plus side, we ADHDers are creative, neurodivergent thinkers and have the ability to enter into hyperfocus mode. I’m able to use these positive attributes to pump out ideas, solve complicated problems easily and get things done! However, I haven’t mastered the art of truly switching off. Sadly, I’m very alert during bedtime. I’d prefer to get some sleep rather than think about how long it would take me to build a rocket. Very random, I know.
I’ve got into the habit of creating artificial deadlines for myself; this gets my adrenaline pumping which activates a dopamine rush to my brain. Neat trick, right? I want to conjure up a new process to trick my brain into submission. I guess it doesn’t help that I’m pursuing so many passions BUT somethings gotta give.
Points of self-reflection:
Learn how to be content with not needing to be productive all the time
Learn how to train my ADHD brain to compartmentalize
Figure out some workarounds for my multiple passion projects
Rome wasn’t built in a day
Please send any ADHD hacks on learning how to ‘switch off’ my way!
If this post speaks to you, don’t be too hard on yourself. We’ll figure it out.
Rach with ADHD.
Mentally exhausted, physically tired, happy and content. Drifting off to sleep.....BAM! Memory from 3rd grade science class and all the details that come with it (the food, the smells, my outfit, their outfits, the teacher, what was the teacher's name? it rhymes with C....ugh need to buy Clorox tomorrow. what else do I need at the store? what days is tomorrow? I wonder what the weather is going to be like...hot? cold? do I have clean pants if it's cold tomorrow?.....AND ON AND ON AND ON). Best exercise was given to me as a suggestion: stop think and body awareness. 1) stop the thinking / thought process - BLANK SLATE! 2) starting with your toes, acknowledge and feel your whole body, toes to forehead and forehead to toes. couple times through, deep breaths and remind myself that all that weird shit will be there waiting for me tomorrow, I wonder what the weather will be like?
I have not been diagnosed (yet) but I'm fairly positive that I have ADHD (31 year old femme "high achiever back in reward ladden elementary/middle school which is a main reason I feel it was overlooked). My dad has it as well as anxiety/depression which I'm also struggling with. But reading all this feels like everything I've ever felt. Rome wasn't built in a day? You mean I can't create an entire website for my small business in one day?! (answer: no I can't I've tried, then burnt out, and never actually check said website......except in spurts every now and then when I attempt to "snazz" it up. Anywho, I found you via twitter, and I'm so happy to have found this page!